Information processing apparatus that enables communication with image forming apparatus that has consumable, image forming apparatus that has consumable, and control method for image forming apparatus that has consumable

Abstract

An information processing apparatus that is capable of reducing a delay of delivery of a consumable even if a history of a consumption amount of a consumable is erased. The information processing apparatus that enables communication with an image forming apparatus equipped with a replaceable consumable. The information processing apparatus includes a memory that stores data related to a consumption amount of the consumable, and a controller configured to determine a future change of a remaining amount of the consumable from the data stored in the memory, issue a delivery request that requests delivery of a replacement consumable according to the future change of the remaining amount of the consumable, and receive user instruction information. The controller issues the delivery request in a case where a predetermined condition related to the remaining amount is satisfied in a predetermined period from reception of the user instruction information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An information processing apparatus that enables communication with an image forming apparatus that has a consumable, the consumable being replaceable, the information processing apparatus comprising:
 a memory that stores data related to a consumption amount of the consumable; and   a controller configured to:
 determine a future change of a remaining amount of the consumable from the data stored in the memory; 
 output a delivery request that requests delivery of a replacement consumable based on the future change of the remaining amount of the consumable; and 
 receive user instruction information, 
   wherein the controller outputs the delivery request in a case where a predetermined condition related to the remaining amount of the consumable is satisfied in a predetermined period from reception of the user instruction information.   
     
     
         2 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the consumable includes toner. 
     
     
         3 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the data includes the remaining amount of the consumable. 
     
     
         4 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the data includes a use amount of the consumable. 
     
     
         5 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined condition is satisfied in a case where the remaining amount of the consumable is less than a threshold amount. 
     
     
         6 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller determines a remaining period to replacement time of the consumable according to the future change of the remaining amount of the consumable, and
 wherein the controller outputs the delivery request in a case where the remaining period is less than a threshold period.   
     
     
         7 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a display,
 wherein the controller determines a remaining period to replacement time of the consumable based on the future change of the remaining amount of the consumable, and   wherein the controller displays the remaining period on the display.   
     
     
         8 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the user instruction information includes information instructing erasure of the data stored in the memory. 
     
     
         9 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the user instruction information includes information instructing that an installation location of the image forming apparatus is changed. 
     
     
         10 . An image forming apparatus that has a consumable, the consumable being replaceable, the image forming apparatus comprising:
 a memory that stores data related to a consumption amount of the consumable;   a controller configured to:
 determine a future change of a remaining amount of the consumable from the data stored in the memory; 
 output a delivery request that requests delivery of a replacement consumable based on the future change of the remaining amount of the consumable; and 
 receive user instruction information, 
   wherein the controller outputs the delivery request in a case where a predetermined condition related to the remaining amount of the consumable is satisfied in a predetermined period from reception of the user instruction information.   
     
     
         11 . A control method for an image forming apparatus that has a consumable and a memory storing data related to a consumption amount of the consumable, the control method comprising:
 determining a future change of a remaining amount of the consumable from the data stored in the memory;   outputting a delivery request that requests delivery of a replacement consumable based on the future change of the remaining amount of the consumable; and   receiving user instruction information,   wherein the delivery request is outputted in a case where a predetermined condition related to the remaining amount of the consumable is satisfied in a predetermined period from reception of the user instruction information.